In the debut episode of The Unfiltered Podcast, Acclinate Co-Founder and Chief Development Officer Tiffany Whitlow sits down with Del Smith, Founder and CEO of Acclinate, for a conversation that strips away polish and dives into purpose.
This isn’t a startup origin story; it’s a soul story. “Nobody Is Coming to Save Us” captures how two visionaries turned personal pain into collective power, transforming loss and lived experience into a mission to make healthcare more inclusive, equitable, and trustworthy for all.
Together, they remind listeners that health equity isn’t charity, it’s accountability. And that when no one comes to save us, we build the systems that will.
The Story That Started It All
For Del and Tiffany, it’s always been personal.
Del’s mother, a traveling nurse and the love of his life, contracted tuberculosis while caring for others. He watched her suffer through repeated hospitalizations, only to learn later that there had been research treatments nearby that she was never offered. That moment of loss and revelation planted the first seed for Acclinate’s mission: to ensure knowledge, access, and trust reach every community.
Tiffany’s story runs parallel — and powerful. As a young mother caring for a toddler with asthma, she followed her doctor’s guidance to the letter, but nothing worked. It wasn’t until later that she discovered the truth: the medication was less effective in Black people. The realization that even medical treatments can fail communities excluded from research ignited her lifelong mission to close the gap.
Together, the two created Acclinate, a double-minority-owned company built on one transformative principle: in order for us to take control of our health and shape future generations, we must be included in all health conversations.
Del brings the vision; Tiffany brings the spark — the igniter who pushes bold ideas into motion. Their partnership is proof that representation at the table changes everything.
“Knowledge and access matter,” Del says in the episode. “But trust is really the root of what we do with the community.”
From Exclusion to Empowerment
The conversation deepens as Tiffany reflects on her own experience with exclusion as a biracial child who was told early in life that she didn’t belong. That experience of being “othered”, she explains, shaped her commitment to inclusion not just as a value, but as a practice.
“People have been excluded from making their own healthcare decisions”, she says. “This is about reminding them that they hold the keys to their journey”.
Together, Tiffany and Del weave personal stories into a larger message: we can’t wait for the system to fix itself; we must build something new.
A Changing World and a Call to Action
Fast-forward five years, and the world looks different. Between the pandemic, social unrest, and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, Tiffany notes how the conversation around health equity has evolved.
Del reflects on those changes, from early work introducing AI to communities in Birmingham, Alabama, to today’s national dialogue on technology and trust. “We’ve got to do a better job ensuring the system isn’t something we just experience”, he says. “We need to take proactive steps to change it”.
Their exchange is a reminder that equity isn’t an endpoint; it’s a daily act of listening, learning, and building together.
A Conversation on Mental Health
As the episode winds down, Tiffany shifts the conversation toward mental health, a topic often left unspoken in leadership, especially among men.
Del admits that staying centered requires intentional stillness. “For me, mental health comes from disconnecting”, he shares. “Someone once told me, pause, breathe, go. We don’t talk about it enough, especially for men, but it’s tough out there. You’ve got to take time to reflect.”
It’s a rare moment of vulnerability, and the perfect close to an episode that reminds listeners that change begins when we decide to take ownership of our stories.
Why This Episode Matters
“Nobody Is Coming to Save Us” isn’t a warning. It’s a wake-up call. It’s about reclaiming agency, building trust, and recognizing that the fight for health equity is both personal and collective.
Through stories of loss, resilience, and community, Tiffany and Del invite listeners to imagine a future where everyone is included, not as an afterthought, but as the foundation of better care.
Join the Conversation
This podcast is powered by Acclinate’s NOWINCLUDED community, a space where Black and Brown individuals can access trusted, medically reviewed health resources and connect through shared experiences.
Join the mailing list for The Unfiltered Podcast and join the NOWINCLUDED community to continue the conversation on health, trust, and transformation.
Don’t miss next week’s episode, where Tiffany sits down with another voice shaping the future of wellness and equity.
